Effective communication is essential for any business, and dental practices are no exception — especially in the digital age. More than any other channel, text messaging has emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing patient engagement, improving operational efficiency, and boosting practice growth. In this blog post, we’ll explore five ways dental practices can leverage text messaging to their advantage. We’ll also discuss key considerations such as software options, patient opt-ins, and costs.
1. Promotions
Text messaging is a powerful tool for promoting service-specific offerings and special deals. Dental practices shouldn’t just blast their entire contact list, however — in order to run successful text-based promotional campaigns, list segmentation is critical.
Why Segmenting Matters
Segmenting your patient database allows you to tailor your promotional messages to specific groups, making your communications more relevant and effective. By understanding the unique needs and preferences of different patient segments, you can deliver targeted promotions that resonate with each group, increasing engagement and response rates.
How to Segment Your Database
Consider the following criteria for segmenting your patient database:
- Demographics: Age, gender, location, and family status can help you create targeted promotions for specific groups, such as pediatric dental services for families with young children or senior dental care for older patients.
- Appointment History: Identify patients who are due for specific treatments, such as cleanings, check-ups, or orthodontic adjustments, and send them personalized reminders and promotions.
- Treatment History: Tailor your messages based on patients’ past treatments, such as offering whitening services to patients who have recently completed orthodontic treatment, or promoting an Invisalign special offer to those who have had an ortho consult without pursuing treatment.
Effective Promotional Campaigns
Once you’ve segmented your database, you can create targeted promotional campaigns that drive patient engagement and practice growth. Examples include:
- Seasonal Offers: Promote special discounts or packages during holidays or seasonal events.
- Referral Programs: Encourage patients to refer friends and family by offering incentives such as discounts or free services.
- New Service Announcements: Inform patients about new services or technologies available at your practice, such as cosmetic treatments or advanced diagnostic tools.
2. Patient Review Requests
Positive patient reviews are crucial for building your practice’s reputation and attracting new patients. Text messaging is the most effective way to request reviews from satisfied patients, making it easy for them to share their experiences.
Timing and Personalization
To maximize the effectiveness of your review requests, consider the following tips:
- Timing: Send review requests shortly after a patient’s appointment when their experience is still fresh in their mind. For example, a text message sent within 24 hours of their visit can prompt timely feedback. At DentalScapes, we generally recommend that practices text review requests to patients within one hour of their treatment.
- Personalization: Personalize your messages by addressing patients by their names and referencing specific aspects of their visit. A personalized message is more likely to elicit a positive response.
Sample Review Request Message
“Hi [Patient Name], thank you for visiting [Your Dental Practice]! We hope you had a great experience. Could you take a moment to leave us a review? Your feedback helps us improve and helps others find us. [Link to Review Site]”
NOTE: In some cases, you may decide to “pre-screen” review candidates with a Net Promoter Score survey — delivered via text message — that first asks how likely they are to refer a friend, family member, or acquaintance to your practice, helping limit potential 4-star or lower reviews. If and only if the patient responds with the highest NPS score, then they receive a review request.
Automation
Regardless of how you structure your review request text messages, be sure to automate them. Manually texting review requests wastes your front desk staff’s valuable time, and many practice management systems and patient communication platforms like Weave have built-in automation tools for texting and reviewing requests.
3. Patient Experience Surveys & Feedback
Gathering patient feedback is essential for understanding patient satisfaction and identifying areas for improvement. Text messaging is an efficient way to distribute patient experience surveys and collect valuable insights.
Text messaging also provides an efficient way to respond to potential patient concerns uncovered in these surveys.
Patient Experience vs. Patient Reviews
It’s important to differentiate patient reviews and overall satisfaction from patient experience. Patient experience data captures a holistic view of the patient’s overall experience with your practice — from booking the appointment to examination, and treatment to checkout. Measuring patient experience is an often overlooked but vital component of creating a truly person-centered dental practice.
Crafting Effective Surveys
To create effective patient experience surveys, consider the following elements:
- Brevity: Keep surveys short and to the point, focusing on key aspects of the patient experience.
- Clarity: Use clear and concise language to ensure patients understand the questions.
- Actionable Questions: Include questions that provide actionable insights, such as “How can we improve your next visit?” or “What did you appreciate most about your visit?”
Sample Survey Invitation Message
“Hi [Patient Name], we value your feedback! Please take a moment to complete our short survey about your recent visit to [Your Dental Practice]. Your input helps us continually improve. Thank you! [Link to Survey]”
Importance of Follow-up
Remember, it’s not enough to simply measure patient experience; you have to act on the data. Regularly review your survey findings and be sure to address any potential concerns promptly and personally with the patient.
Patient Experience Platforms
At DentalScapes, we’re especially excited about DifferentKind’s platform for patient experience measurement. DifferentKind is an excellent tool for creating and managing patient experience surveys. Their platform allows dental practices to design customized surveys, analyze responses, and gain actionable insights to enhance patient care.
4. Automated Recall and Appointment Reminders
Nothing hurts practice profitability like no-shows, and reducing them is a priority for any dentist. Automated recall and appointment reminders are a game-changer, helping reduce no-shows and keep patients on track with their oral health. Text messaging is an ideal medium for these reminders due to its convenience and high open rates (roughly 98% according to recent research).
Setting Up Automated Reminders
To set up effective automated reminders, consider the following steps:
- Schedule Reminders: Set up reminders to be sent at optimal times, such as one week, three days, and one day before the appointment.
- Personalize Messages: Include the patient’s name, appointment date and time, and any necessary preparation instructions in the message. For first-time patients, you may want to also include a link to directions to your office.
- Include a Call to Action: Provide a clear call to action, such as confirming the appointment or contacting the office for rescheduling.
Sample Appointment Reminder Message
“Hi [Patient Name], this is a friendly reminder for your appointment at [Your Dental Practice] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply ‘YES’ to confirm or call us at [Phone Number] if you need to reschedule. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon!”
5. Direct Communication with Providers
While individual practice’s approach will vary, direct communication between patients and providers can enhance patient care and build stronger relationships. Text messaging offers a convenient and efficient way for patients to reach out with questions or concerns and for providers to respond promptly. It’s also a helpful way for practices to remain accessible to standing patients for after-hours emergencies.
Examples of Direct Communication
Dental practices can leverage direct, text-based communication with patients for a variety of reasons, including:
- Post-Treatment Follow-Ups: Providers and dental team members can check in with patients after procedures to ensure they are recovering well and address any concerns. You can also provide links to helpful content, such as blog posts detailing what to expect from recovery for different procedures.
- Treatment Plan Updates: Patients can receive updates or reminders about their treatment plans, such as instructions for new appliances or changes to their care regimen.
- Emergency Assistance: In case of dental emergencies, patients can quickly reach out to their provider for advice and instructions. In some cases, dental practices opt to only provide after-hours text messaging for current patients.
Sample Direct Communication Message
“Hi [Patient Name], this is Dr. [Provider’s Name] from [Your Dental Practice]. I hope you’re feeling well after your recent [Treatment] procedure. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to text or call us. We’re here to help!”
Things to Consider
Beyond specific communications enabled by text messaging, dental practices must also grapple with several more practical questions before executing their patient engagement campaigns. These include patient communications software, patient opt-ins, and cost.
Software
Selecting the right software is crucial for implementing effective text messaging strategies. As a Weave Certified Partner, we highly recommend Weave for its comprehensive communication solutions tailored to dental practices. Weave offers features such as automated reminders, two-way texting, missed-call texting, and integrated patient management, making it an excellent choice for streamlining your communication efforts.
However, there are many additional options beyond Weave. Many practice management systems themselves include built-in text messaging capabilities.
Patient Opt-Ins
To comply with regulations and ensure patient privacy, it’s essential to obtain patient consent for text messaging. Before hitting “send” on your automation, be sure to implement a clear opt-in process during patient registration, explaining the benefits of text communication and how it will be used.
Cost
The cost of text messaging capabilities and campaigns can vary depending on the software and the volume of messages. On average, practices can expect to spend between $50 to $300 per month on text messaging services. While this investment isn’t nothing, the benefits of improved patient engagement, reduced no-shows, and enhanced communication can provide a significant return on investment.
Ready to elevate your dental practice with text messaging? Contact us today!
If you’re looking to implement text messaging at your practice, consider partnering with DentalScapes and Weave for a seamless and effective solution.
By incorporating these strategies, dental practices can harness the power of text messaging to create a more connected, engaged, and satisfied patient base. Don’t wait to elevate your practice’s communication game—start leveraging text messaging today! Request a free strategy call today and let’s talk!